Side loading egg case



J. W. CASTLE April 29, 1969 SIDE LOADING EGG CASE ors Sheet Filed Nov. 16, 1967 IXVENTOR.

April 29, 1969 J. w. CASTLE SIDE LOADING EGG CASE Sheet Filed Nov. 16, 1967 JNVENTOR.

April 29, 1969 J. w. CASTLE 3,44

SIDF- LOADING EGG CASE United States Patent 3,441,193 SIDE LOADING EGG CASE James W. Castle, Rte. 1, Farmington, Ark. 72730 Filed Nov. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 683,611 Int. Cl. B65d /28, 43/16 US. Cl. 229-33 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a side loading, compartmented paperboard shipping case particularly adapted for the shipment of eggs and formed from flat blanks of corrugated or solid container board or similar foldable sheet material of high strength to weight ratio.

It is a well recognized fact that breakage of eggs in handling and shipping is currently a source of substantial economic loss to the egg industry; among the estimates of loss reported through egg shell cracking is an average of one dozen eggs per shipped case. The principal cause of breakage is deformation of the filled flats, the flats being intended to both cushion the eggs against case impact as well as to prevent lateral contact of eggs in adjoining flat depressions. This flat deformation may be caused either by mechanical distortion of the outer case as it is handled or, more importantly, from a direct inwardly lateral bending of the loaded flat as it is inserted or removed from the case. Under existing procedures the latter deformation is a normal and characteristic occurrence if the loaded flat is placed downwardly into the case. The flats are formed from soft and flexible pulp stock, usually holding thirty eggs, and it is extremely diflicult to manually position those flats nearest the bottom of the case via a downward movement into the walled compartment without bending the flat to such an extent as to cause egg cracking. Such cracking not only spoils the egg, but also destroys the flat.

Egg cracking during flat handling may be completely avoided if provision is made for lateral accessibility to the compartments of the case, and if, at the same time, the structural requirements are adequately met, egg breaking from case handling and stacking may be substantially reduced.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved compartmented side loading and side unloading egg case.

Another object is the provision of an egg case having a two-ply cover, a two-ply bottom, four-ply end walls and a two-ply divider partition extending the full height of the case.

A further object is to provide, in a structurally improved egg case, a cover construction which locks automatically in response to closing, and which is readily opened to make the bottom of the case accessible from both the top and side of the case.

Another object is the provision of an egg case erectable from sheet paperboard blanks.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description taken in connection 3,441,193 Patented Apr. 29, 1969 ice with the accompanying drawings, in which are set forth, by way of illustration and example, the preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the outer body or container portion of the case is erected;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the container portion in an opened position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the case when closed for transport;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blank used to form the divider of the case;

FIG. 5 is a perspective of the erected divider;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the accessibility of the compartments of the case from both above and laterally for loading and unloading, the cover locking arrangement being somewhat modified;

FIG. 7 is a section through the case with integral cover when closed, taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a similar section through the case as modified with a detachable cover;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section along the line 99 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 shows a modification of FIG. 1 wherein the integral cover has been removed;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a blank for forming a detachable cover; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective of the erected detachable cover.

In its preferred form the egg case of this invention comprises two components: an outer body or container 10 and an internal divider 11. These components are preferably formed from corrugated paperboard, the weight and flute-size of which may be varied to meet specific transportation conditions.

Referring first to the blank of FIG. 1, from which the container portion of the case is erected, it will be seen that the blank is slit and scored to form a group of serially connected foldable panels. The rectangular bottom panel 12 has foldably connected thereto along the score lines 14 at its opposed marginal side edges the front and rear side wall panels 13, and the end wall panels 15 along the score lines 16 at its opposed marginal end edges. At the respective end margins of the rear side wall panel 13 a second pair of end wall panels 17 are foldably connected along the score lines 19, being separated from the adjoining first end wall panels 15 by the cut lines 18. Similarly, at the respective opposed end margins of the front side wall panel a third pair of end wall panels 20 are connected along the double score line 21, being separated from the adjoining first end wall panels by the cut lines 22.

An inner cover panel 23 is foldably connected along the front margin of the front side wall panel 13 at the score line 24, and a cover locking tab 25 is foldably secured to the inner cover panel along its forward margin at the score line 26.

A hinge panel 35 is foldably connected between the rear side wall panel 13 and the integral outer cover along the respective opposed score lines 36. The outer cover includes a central rectangular outer cover panel 27 having inner and outer side flaps 28 foldably secured thereto along one side at the double score lines 30 and the single score line 31. The end flaps 29 are also foldably connected to the central panel along the score lines 32, the end flaps being separated at the respective ends from the side flaps by the cut lines 33 and the recess 34, the latter spacing the end flaps from the inner side flaps a distance equal to that of the spacing between the lines of the double score line 30.

The outer body or container portion of the case is assembled by folding the scored and cut portions of the blanks. The first and second pair of end wall panels 15 and 17 respectively are moved to an upstanding position,

and the rear side wall panel raised to an upstanding position as the panels 17 are swung alongside the end wall panels to the positions indicated in FIG. 2, the end wall panels being joined together in any suitable manner, such as adhesively. It will nOW be apparent that the third pair of end wall panels 20 may be raised to an upstanding position, and, as the front side wall panel is erected, the third pair of end wall panels 20 may be swung to a position adjacent the second pair of end wall panels 17, this assembly operation being shown in process by FIG. 2. The outer cover portion is formed by first turning upward the end flaps 29 and then the side flaps 28, joining the overlapping end portions by either stapling or adhesive, resulting in an integral outer cover portion as shown in FIG. 2, which has a downwardly depending peripheral flange when the cover is in closed position.

It may also be observed that the inner cover panel 23 is swingable in one direction along the forward margin of the front side wall panel and foldable to form an inner cover for the container, the forwardly projecting locking tab 25 being foldably secured along the outer margin of the inner cover panel 23 and disposed to extend downwardly over the hinge panel when the outer cover is swung in the opposite direction.

The positions of the respective panels of the outer container when the container is in the closed position are shown in FIG. 7. The locking tab 25 is shown locked at the double hinge of the outer cover, the hinge being formed by the foldable connection of the hinge panel 35 along one margin of the rear side wall panel 13 and along the other margin to the inner cover flap 28. The double hinge permits the outer cover to be swung about either of the foldable connections when the inner cover is not closed, but only about the last-named foldable connection when the inner cover is in the closed position. As the outer cover is swung to the closed position with the inner cover locking tab 25 in the pocket formed by the elements of the double hinge, the locking tab is tightly compressed within the pocket as the outer cover is swung and telescoped over the inner cover panel and downwardly along the front side wall, thus securely locking the container in the closed position, as well as providing a double ply cover for the container.

FIG. 4 shows the blank from which the divider is erected, the divider serving to both increase the crush and impact resistance of the case and to divide the case into two equal compartments. A pair of adjoining partition panels 43 are foldably joined along a joint margin score line 46, and have foldably connected thereto along their outer margins the divider bottom panels 42 at the score lines 47. A pair of divider end panels are respectively foldably secured along their inner margins and the outer margins of the bottom panels along the score lines 48. Along one side of the blank are foldably secured to the partition panels a pair of partition wings 45 along the score lines 50, and a pair of divider end panel wings 44 are foldably connected to the divider end wall panels along the score lines 49.

The divider panel is erected by reversely folding the partition panels along the score line 46 and the score lines 47 to an upstanding position, and folding the divider end panels to upstanding position along the score line 48. The divider end wall wings 44 are then folded inwardly normal to the divider end Wall panels along the score lines 49, and the partition wings 45 folded outwardly from the partition panels and normal thereto along the score lines 49. The appearance of the erected divider is shown in FIG. 5.

The accessibility of the compartments of the case is illustrated in FIG. 6, in which the divider 11 is shown in assembled relation with the outer container. It is noted that the hand hold cutouts 37, 38, 39 and 41, extending respectively through (1) the outer end wall panels 15, (2) the intermediate end wall panels 17, (3) the inner end wall panels 20 and (4) the divider end wall panels 40 are all in coextensive alignment when the end wall panels are in the mutually parallel upright position with the inner cover in the closed position. FIG. 9 shows the relative positions of the four-ply end walls following the erection and assembly of the two components of the case, while FIG. 7 shows the partition 43 extending the full inside height of the container to provide a two-ply central reinforcing wall, which, along with the similarly sized four-ply end walls yields a case having ten vertical walls for withstanding crushing stress. Referring further to FIG. 6, it is noted that the locking tab of the inner cover panel 25 may be folded, if desired, to an out-of-the way position between the divider and the bottom panel with the inner cover panel resting on and parallel to the front side wall 13 when the case is being loaded or unloaded from its open side.

A modification of the outer cover arrangement of the invention may be seen by reference to FIGS. 6, 10, 11 and 12. In FIGS. 6 and 10 the lock pocket flap 51 re places the integral outer cover elements of FIG. 1, and is foldably attached to the outer margin of the hinge panel 35 along the score line 52. A blank for a separate cover is shown in FIG. 11, including the top central panel 53 with a pair of side wall cover panels 54 foldably connected along the marginal side edges at the score lines 59 and a pair of end wall cover panels 55 foldably connected along the marginal ends at the score lines 58. The side wall tabs 56 are transversely separated from the end wall panels 55 by the cut lines 57, and foldably connected to the side wall cover panels 54 along the extension of the score line 58 at the respective ends of the side wall cover panels 54 by the score lines 60. The cover is erected by folding upright the end walls 55 and the side walls 54, folding inwardly along the end Walls the side wall tabs 56, and adhesively or otherwise joining the tabs to the end walls.

FIG. 8 is a section through the separate cover modification, showing the inner cover tab 25 locked between the hinge panel 35 and the lock ocket flap 51, being compressed between these members by telescoping the outer cover over the container portion. If desired, the respective end portions of the lock pocket flap may be stapled to the adjoining end portions of the hinge panel 35 to facilitate the application of the cover.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the preferred embodiment of the egg case of this invention is characterized by the achievement of a number of advantageous features, among which are: (a) formation from two blanks; (b) double ply top and bottom; (0) quadruple thickness end walls and double thickness center wall to resist crushing stress; (d) quadruple wall thickness hand hold cutouts at ends for manual handling; (e) double hinge outer cover attaching means cooperating with inner cover tab for locking or unlocking the covers; (f) accessibility concurrently from both open top and open side.

It will also be apparent that various details of construction may be modified through a considerable range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is therefore intended that all matter contained in the drawings and the foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim as my invention:

1. A side opening egg case comprising:

(a) a rectangular bottom panel having a first pair of end panels foldably secured along the respective ends thereof and a rear side wall panel foldably connected along the rear side of said bottom panel with a second pair of end panels foldably connected along the respective ends thereof, said rear side and said end wall panels being folded to upstanding relationship with the bottom panel to form a wall continuous along the end and rear side walls;

(b) a front side wall panel foldably secured along the front side of said bottom panel with a third pair of end panels foldably connected along the respective ends of the front side wall panel;

(c) an inner cover panel foldably secured along the outer side of said front side wall panel and a cover locking tab foldably secured to the inner cover panel along the outer margin thereof;

(d) said front side wall panel, the third pair of end panels and the inner cover panel with attached tab all being jointly swingable from an open position providing access to said bottom panel from both the top and front side to a closed position in which said third pair of end panels are upstanding alongside said second pair of end panels, said front side wall panel is upstanding to complete a continuous rectangular side wall and said inner cover panel spans from the upper edge of the front side wall panel to the upper edge of the rear side wall panel;

(e) a hinge panel foldably connected along the rear margin of the rear side wall panel and foldable downwardly therealong;

(f) an outer cover swingable between open and closed position foldably connected to said hinge panel along the rear margin thereof, said outer cover having foldable end and side flaps folded to form a downwardly depending peripheral flange;

(g) one of said side flaps hingedly joining said outer cover to said hinge panel along its outer margin;

(h) said locking tab extending downwardly from said inner cover to a frictionally engaged locked position between said hinged panel and the outer cover flange which is hingedly joined thereto when said inner and outer covers are sequentially swung to the closed position; and

(i) an internal double U-shaped divider covering the bottom panel with its outer parallel sides disposed adjacent and parallel to said upstanding end panels and its inner parallel sides disposed upwardly to partition the case into two equal compartments, the end panels and the inner parallel sides of the divider having wings foldably connected thereto along the rear margins thereof and folded in engagement with the inner surface of the rear side wall panel.

2. The case as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the end wall panels at each end of the case is provided with a hand hold cutout extending through an upper central portion thereof, each hand hold cutout at each end of the case registering with that in the adjacent end wall panel when the case is in closed position, thereby providing a four-ply hand hold for handling the case.

3. The case according to claim 1, wherein the combined width of the inner cover panel and the cover locking tab is greater than the width of the front side wall panel, whereby the inner cover panel may be folded over the latter with a portion of the locking tab disposed over a portion of the bottom panel.

4. An egg case outer container formed from a single flat sheet of container board, comprising:

(a) a rectangular bottom panel;

(b) a first pair of end wall panels, a rear side wall panel and a front side wall panel all foldably connected along the margin of the bottom panel and folded to upstanding relationship to form continuous outer side and end walls for the container;

(c) a second pair of end wall panels foldably connected to the respective ends of said rear wall panel, said second pair of end wall panels being first folded to an upstanding position and subsequently swung alongside said outer end wall panels to form a pair of first intermediate end wall panels;

(d) a third pair of end wall panels foldably connected along the respective ends of said front side wall panel, said third pair of end wall panels being first folded to an upstanding position and subsequently swung along said intermediate end wall panels to form inner end wall panels;

(e) an inner cover panel swingable in one direction from open to closed position foldably connected to the forward margin of the front side wall panel and foldable to form an inner cover of said container;

(f) a hinge panel foldably secured to the rear margin of the rear side wall panel and foldable downwardly therealong;

(g) an outer cover swingable between open and closed position foldably connected to said hinge panel along the rear margin thereof;

(h) said outer cover including foldable end and side flaps folded to form a downwardly depending peripheral flange;

(i) one of said side flaps hingedly joining said outer cover to said hinge panel; and

(j) a forwardly extending locking tab foldably secured to the outer margin of said inner cover panel;

(k) said locking tab extending downwardly from said inner cover to a frictionally engaged locked position between said hinged panel and said outer cover flange when said outer cover is swung to the closed position in a direction opposite said one direction.

5. The container according to claim 4, wherein each of the end wall panels at each end of the container is provided with a hand hold cutout through a central upper portion thereof, each hand hold cutout registering with the cutout in the adjacent end wall panel when the panels are disposed in upstanding relationship.

6. In an egg case comprising a rectangular receptacle having an inner cover hingedly connected along the upper margin of one side wall and an outer cover hingedly connected along the upper margin of the opposing side wall, the improvement comprising elements constituting a double hinge associated with said outer cover and a hingedly connected tab integral with said inner cover, the double hinge elements forming a pocket along the upper end of said opposing side wall into which said tab is compressed when both covers are swung to their closed positions, said outer cover having downwardly depending side flaps one of which is a leaf of said hinge.

7. In an egg case comprising a rectangular receptacle having an inner cover hingedly connected along the upper margin of one side wall, a downwardly extending flap foldably connected along the upper margin of the other side wall and an upwardly extending flap foldably secured to the outer margin of said downwardly extending flap thereby forming a pocket along the upper margin of said other side wall, a hingedly connected tab integral with said inner cover extending into said pocket, and outer cover means for compressing said tab between the flaps of said pocket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,965,769 7/1934 Kraft 229-33 XR 2,094,448 9/1937 Evans 229-33 2,579,846 5/1952 Reeser 22915 2,642,218 6/1953 Platt 22936 XR 2,668,654 2/1954 Freel et al 229-33 XR 2,834,531 5/1958 Struble 22933 2,866,585 12/1958 Alexander 229-15 2,875,936 3/1959 FoWle 22944 XR 3,182,913 5/1965 Brian 22933 XR DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 229-15, 44 

